1. Topographic Maps

2. What is a topo map? The shape of the earth is shown by contour lines
Contour lines connect places of equal elevation

3. Show the height of a mountain, the depth of the ocean, the steepness of a ridge

5. Main Ideas Lines are continuous – that is, they never cross or branch
Not as steep – lines are not as close
Lines are continuous – that is, they never cross or branch
The closer they are together, the steeper the terrain
Steep hill – lines are close together

6. Lines crossing a stream always point upstream toward the headwaters
Remember the headwaters is where the river starts at the top of a mountain
So, they point away from the direction the river is flowing

7. A mountain ridge is opposite to a river
On a ridge, the lines point downhill

8. Grid References
Topographical maps show contour lines, but also have a grid that is used to find absolute location
Heading north
Heading east

9. Find and name the location of a square on a grid
East FIRST
North SECOND
So, what is 1?
Go to the left of object (in this case #1) and below
Look at Eastings first – 18
Look at Northings Second
What is 2? 3? 4?
What if you have to find a point inside a grid?

10. Below – one square on the same grid
Step one – divide the square further into 10ths
The grey square is located in the square 1844
More accurately it is 7 tenths across and 8 tenths up within the grid square 1844 and therefore has the 6-figure map reference
Try the red circle (starting with 1844)
185443